1940s Director Vincent Sherman Dies at 99

June 20th, 2006 9:32am EDT

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Hollywood filmmaker Vincent Sherman died on Sunday night of natural causes - just one month ahead of his 100th birthday. The acclaimed director dominated cinema in the 1940s and 1950s before being ostracized for his suspected communist sympathies. He later went on to direct a string of hugely successful TV series including The Waltons and Baretta.

Francine York, his companion for the last nine years, says, "Vince was in good condition until two months ago. In January he had appeared on a documentary about Humphrey Bogart, and he told a lot of good stories. He was the last of the gentlemen, a real Southern gentleman."

Sherman is survived by a son, daughter, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

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